Folding hat and coat rack



Aug; 1960 ox 2,948,410

INVENTOR. v Rog/er .B. MADDOX.

HIS ATTbkA/EYS 2,948,410 FOLDING HAT AND COAT RACK Robert B. Maddox, 130 Wellington Place,

' Cincinnati 19, Ohio This invention relates to a portable folding hat and coat rack, and it pertains more particularly to one having a pair of vertically spaced hat shelves supported by a common means which limits the spread of thelegs of the rack and is tensioned by their spread to hold the shelves in extended position when the rack is set up for use. The invention -also pertains to a composite rack composed of two or more of the racks spaced apart in end to end relation with the space therebetween spanned by slats which join the shelves in continuity and are supported by the same means which support the rack shelves.

Portable folding racks as heretofore made have not been provided with a pluralityof shelves associated to be supported in position by a common means that limits the spread of the legs of the rack and is tensioned to automatically spread out the shelves when set up from a collapsed position and permitting them to be collapsed when the rack is folded.

Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the invention is a portable folding hat and coat rack which is simple in construction and efiicient in operation.

niterl States Patent Another object of the invention is a portable folding hat and coat rack provided with a pair of hat shelves vertically spaced apart, in which both shelves are supported by a common means.

Still another object of the invention is a folding hat and coat rack in which the pair of hat shelves are supported by the same means that limits the spread of the rack legs when the rack is set up.

A further object of the invention is a folded hat and coat rack of a construction to permit their being arranged end to end in spaced apart relation with the shelves extended between the racks and supported by a common means. 7

Further objects, and objects relating to details of construction and economies of operation, will readily appear from the detailed description to follow. In one instance, the objects of the invention have been accomplished by the device and means set forth in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portable folding hat and coat rack embodying my invention, set up for use.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rack folded in collapsed condition.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of two racks disposed end to end in spaced apart relation with the shelves of the racks extended therebetween.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the connecting slats.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which like numerals designate like parts, numeral 2 refers to a pair of legs connected at their bottom ends by a cross bar 3 and at their top ends by a pair of cross bars 4 and 5 vertically spaced. A pair of legs 2 and the top "ice and bottom cross bars 3, 4 and 5 form a frame section referred to generally by numeral 6. Another frame 6' of duplicate construction comprises the pair of legs 2', the bottom cross bar 3 and a pair of top cross bars 4' and 5'. Frame 6 is of slightly less width than the frame 6 in order to permit it to be inserted through said frame 6, between the legs 2, for the two frames 6 and 6' to be pivoted together by a pivot means, typified by a bolt and cap unit 7. A spacing washer is advantageously inserted between the adjacent legs 2 and 2' of the two frames. The pivot is of any construction that permits the frames being fitted tightly together to permit them to be pivoted for folding the rack to a collapsed condition and unfolding itwithout undue play therebetween.

A flexible circular band 9 is fitted about the cross bar 3, 3' and 4, 4, adjacent each end-of the rack, to provide upper and lower reaches. These bands may be of any flexible material, preferably a fabric strip, with its opposite ends fastened together. They are preferably enveloped about bothof the top bars of each frame although they could be threaded through recesses formed through the bars or guide clips fastened thereto. These circular bands limit the spread of the legs of the rack and may be of a length to permit the desired extent of the spread.

They are preferably enveloped about the cross bars, and will be stretched taut by the spread of the upper ends of the legs with the reaches 9a and 9b between the cross bars of each frame horizontally disposed. They may be left loosely enveloped about the cross bars or, if desired, may be fixed to one of the cross bars to hold the bands in place for properly positioning the shelf parts hereinafter described.

An upper shelf is formed by one or more slats 10 having their opposite ends fixed to the upper reaches portion of the bands lying between the cross'bars by a clip or staple 11. Two or more relatively narrow slats 10 are preferable rather than one single wider one in order to permit collapsing of the shelf when the rack is collapsed. A lower shelf is formed by another slat 12 fixed to the lower reaches portion of the bands lying between the lower cross bars. The slats are relatively rigid and ordinarily are of a length so that only two bands are necessary, but it will be understood of course, that there may be as many bands as desired. The slats may be of any material such as wood, thin metal, plastic and the like.

The pivot 7 for the legs of the rack is preferably placed somewhat higher than one-half the length of the legs in order that the vertical planes through both top cross bars of each frame will be between the vertical planes in which the bottom ends of the legs are supported on the floor or other foundation. This makes the rack more stable and prevents it from being easily tilted to either side when empty or loaded, as the center of gravity will be between the points of support.

Garment hangers 14 of commercial form, may be hung on both the upper and lower top cross bars 3, 3, 4 and 4, and two shelves are provided for hats or other articles to be placed thereon.

The weight of the articles on the rack will spread apart the upper ends of the rack legs and cause the bands 9 to be stretched and tensioned while holding the shelves spread out fiat. The shelves are collapsed when the rack is folded.

The racks are adapted to be placed spaced apart end to end, and to be connected by slats 15' adapted to be detachably fastened to both the top and bottom reaches of the bands 9 of the adjacent ends of the two racks to join together the two top shelves and the two bottom selves for spanning each across the space between the racks.

These intervening slats 15 are provided on their opposite ends with an inturned hook 16 adapted to hook over the bands 9 of the racks and be held in place to join the two racks together as a unit. It will be appreciated that any desired number of racks may be so joined to provide a composite unit of any desired length. The slats 15 are relatively narrow in width and any number of them may be used to make up the extensions between adjacent racks. Three of these slats may be conveniently used for the upper shelf, one being placed on 'each side of the slats 14 forming the top shelf of the rack to alternate therewith. Two slats are preferably used for the bottom shelf, they being laid alternately with the slats 12 to form the bottom shelf extension. They are of a width for their opposite ends .to fit in the space between the slats of the bottom rack shelf and the adjacent cross bars.

I am aware that there may be various changes in details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and, therefore, Iclaim my invention broadly as indicated by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

l. A portable collapsible garment rack comprising sets of legs pivoted together, a pair of cross bars between the top ends of the legs of each set disposed in vertically spaced apart relation, a plurality of spaced-apart flexible bands enveloping the pairs of cross bars of each set for providing upper and lower reaches and limiting the spread of the legs, and a pair of shelves supported on the'bands between corresponding cross bars of each pair.

2. The rack of claim 1 in which the shelves are fastened to the bands.

3. The rack of claim 1 in which the bands are secured to one of the cross bars to hold the shelves in position.

4. The rack of claim 1 in which the top cross bars are in a vertical plane lying between the vertical plane through the points of support for the bottom ends of the legs.

5. A portable collapsible garment rack comprising a main frame member having oppositely disposed end members connected together by spaced-apart cross bars, a supplementalframe having two end members pivoted to the end members of the main frame, and connected together by a cross bar, a plurality of flexible bands enveloping the cross bars for providing upper and lower reaches limiting the spread of the pivoted frames, and a slat supported on each of the reaches of the bands for forming a plurality of. shelves.

6. The portable collapsible garment rack of claim 5 in which each of the two frames is connected by vertically spaced across bars enveloped by said bands.

References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 302,081 Zerr July 15, 1884 747,822 Wilson Dec. 22, 1903 775,766 Abercrombie Nov. 22, 1904 923,721 Smith June 1, 1909 r 1,360,912 Folmar Nov. 30, 1920 1,685,925 Linck et a1; Oct. 2, 1928 2,415,734 Block Feb. 11, 1947 2,674,748 Lakaif Apr. 13, 1954 2,706,829 Charmin Apr. 26, 1955 

